1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to nautical buoys.
2. Prior Art
Nautical marker buoys having electric lights are disclosed in the following U.S. Pat. Nos.:
1,374,942, issued Apr. 19, 1921 (Melvin); PA0 1,481,583, issued Jan. 22, 1924 (Anundi); PA0 1,796,460, issued Mar. 17, 1931 (Jackson); PA0 3,071,788, issued Jan. 8, 1963 (Nelson); PA0 3,698,025, issued Oct. 17, 1972 (Worobel).
As illustrated by the above patents, there have been efforts to provide a practical illuminated nautical marker buoy for a considerable length of time. The buoys disclosed in the above patents have ballast or are otherwise of specialized construction to maintain the buoys and their lights in a desired orientation, and more or less complicated internal workings or specialized constructions in order that the electric light can be incorporated in or supported by the buoy.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,291,484, issued Sept. 29, 1981, to Young discloses an illuminated fishing float or bobber and in the "Description of the Prior Art" refers to other such devices, but that patent does not pertain to a nautical marker buoy.